Sec. 1. 12 MRSA c. 201-A, sub-c. I-A is enacted to read:

SUBCHAPTER I-A

MAINE CAVE PROTECTION ACT

§544-I.__Short title

This subchapter may be known and cited as the "Maine Cave Protection Act."

§544-J.__Definitions

As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following words have the following meanings.

1.__Cave.__"Cave" means any naturally occurring void, cavity, recess, sinkhole or system of interconnecting passages beneath the surface of the earth or within a cliff or ledge that is large enough to permit a person to enter.__"Cave" includes natural subsurface water and drainage systems, but does not include any mine, tunnel or other artificial excavation.

2.__Cave life.__"Cave life" means any life-form normally found in a cave.

3.__Natural material.__"Natural material"__means stalactite, stalagmite, helictite, anthodite, gypsum flower or needle, flowstone, drapery, column, tufa dam, clay or mud formation or concretion or other similar crystalline mineral formation found in any cave.

4.__Owner.__"Owner" means a person who owns title to land where a cave is located.

§544-K.__Prior written consent of owner

A person must obtain the prior written permission of the owner to excavate or remove an archaeological, paleontological, prehistoric or historic feature of a cave.

§544-L.__Field investigations, explorations and recovery

operations

All field investigations, explorations and recovery operations in a cave must ensure that the ability to recover and preserve historic, scientific, archaeological and educational information is not impeded.